SnapSand

Inspiration

I wanted to combine the familiar satisfaction of classic block puzzle games with the unpredictability of real-time sand simulation. I saw a video related sand simulation, Watching sand flow, collapse, and interact dynamically felt like the perfect way to add tension, skill expression, and chaos to a game

What it does

SnapSand is a fast-paced, sand-simulated puzzle game where blocks fall and dissolve into sand. Players must think quickly, form efficient structures, and chain combo reactions before the timer runs out. Every decision affects how the sand flows—making precision, timing, and adaptability key to scoring high.

How I built it

I built SnapSand using a custom grid-based sand simulation system combined with classic falling-block mechanics. First Spawn, then for that block Update the gravity if it hits something make the Sand inside the block non-rigid. Then UpdateSandGravity takes Over. The game tracks real-time sand behavior, combo chains, scoring logic, and a timer-based pressure system. Special care was taken to keep the simulation performant while still feeling dynamic and responsive.

Challenges i ran into

The biggest challenge was balancing performance with visual fidelity in the sand simulation. Also making the sand feel like fluid and sand was a really hectic job bcoz iterating from left to right and right to left did'nt work for some cases so i ended up storing a x value where the block first loose its rigidity and manage left and right half individually in right and left direction.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

A real-time sand simulation integrated into a fast gameplay loop A combo system that rewards skillful planning and quick reactions A game that feels both chaotic, controllable, peaceful and hectic at the same time

What we learned

We learned a lot about optimizing simulations, designing combo systems, and balancing pressure in time-based gameplay. Most importantly, we learned how small mechanical tweaks can dramatically change how a game feels.